Breakfast is arguably the most important meal of the day. Studies have shown that consuming breakfast every day can improve energy levels and concentration. Breakfast sets the tone for the whole day and is typically the first thing you eat when you get up in the morning. Despite the importance of eating breakfast every morning, about half of MIA students said that they don’t eat breakfast regularly. Some students expressed that they never eat breakfast, some said that they only eat it on weekends, and others stated that they only eat breakfast every other day.
Perhaps if Marco Island Academy created a breakfast program, students would be more likely to eat breakfast every day and receive the benefits of doing so. Although the school does not regularly offer breakfast options, some clubs like SGA, Culinary Club, and the Spanish National Honors Society occasionally sell specialty breakfast foods in the mornings in the Manta Ray Cafe, located in the school’s main lobby. While these breakfast sales only happen a few times per month, they are tremendously popular amongst the students, and all revenue goes right back towards funding student events such as dances, games, and school activities.
How often do you eat breakfast?
This question worked to gain information about how regularly MIA students consume breakfast and to consider the difference a breakfast bar could make in their eating habits.
Instituting a breakfast program would be extremely beneficial to not only the well-being of our students but also to maintaining academic focus during the school day. A poll was crafted to gain insight into the breakfast habits of our students and attempt to start a breakfast bar at the school. The poll received 121 responses and received responses from students of each grade. The questions asked in the poll aimed to determine how many students eat breakfast, how often they eat it, and if MIA offered breakfast, how much they’d be willing to pay, what options they would want, and if they would be willing to volunteer to run the breakfast bar in the mornings.
How often do you go out to get breakfast before school?
This question considers the amount of money students spend eating breakfast, as going out for breakfast can become expensive. The study showed the following:
7.4% of students go out every day to eat breakfast
12.4% of students go out twice a week to eat breakfast
16.5% of students go out once a week to eat breakfast
63.6% of students never go out to eat breakfast
Compared to eating breakfast at places like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, eating breakfast at the school would likely be much more affordable.
To what extent does eating breakfast before school affect your academic performance?
This question is essential in showing that breakfast can have a huge impact on a student’s performance and well-being in the classroom. If more students ate breakfast, higher levels of student success could come as a result.
In more specific sections of the poll, students selected items that they would consider purchasing for breakfast, with the most votes going to breakfast sandwiches and pastries, and the other options including granola bars, fruit cups, and yogurt parfaits. Students also selected how often they would be willing to volunteer to run the breakfast bar in the mornings and over half of the students stated that they would once a week or once every other week. Additionally, parents could volunteer at the breakfast bar in the mornings to fulfill their annual volunteer hour requirement.
With a growing number of students, offering breakfast in the mornings would improve the lives of the students and the quality of learning at the school. The poll results illustrate just how important breakfast is to students and how options for it would help them academically, even in the long run. By adopting healthy habits now, students will be more inclined to continue them in the future. With the right number of participants, we could make this concept a reality, moving a step further towards bettering MIA.
